Closure.



A. P. ANDERSON. CLOSURE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY H. 1912.

1,299,651 Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

ALEXANDER I. ANDERSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

cnosunn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

Application filed July 11, 1912. Serial No. 708,896.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ALEXANDER PIERCE ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, re siding at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Closures, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

In my pending application Serial No. 397,324, filed October 14th, 1907, I have described, as one embodiment of the invention forming the subject matter of said application, an apparatus designed particularly for the treatmentof starch material of all kinds, which apparatus includes a steam jacketed rotatable drum. The drum is rovided with a closure comprising a hinged ollow lid for permitting insertion and removal of the contents of the drum, to which lid steam is admitted, during the rotation of the drum, theconstruction being such as not to hinder the movement of the lid about its hinge when required. This is accomplished by providing the lid with hollow' hinges communicating with the interior of the lid, these hinges being connected with the steam jacket of the drum, one at the end thereof where steam is admitted, and the other at the outlet end of the same.

My present invention relates to aclosure particularly adapted for use in connection with apparatus of the kind described in my above-named pending application, and has as its object to improve upon the construction of such closures. By means of my present invention I am enabled to obtain certain advantages, the more important of which will be pointed out in the following specification.

I have described in the following specification, and shown in the accom anying drawing, a steam-heated closure, em odying my invention, use with the steam jacketed drum described in my pending application above referred to, the hollow lid being designed to be connected With the front and rear ends, of the steam jacket in the manner shown in said application. It is to be understood, however, that changesmay'be made in the construction described and shown, and that my invention may be embodied in other forms of closure than that described and shown,

of a kind which is adapted for without exceeding the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing: I

Figure 1 is a plan of the closure embodying my invention, the top part of the threaded sleeve and the cap screw being cut away and a portion of one of the hin e arms being shown in section so as more ully to display the construction of these parts;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, Elie section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the form of gas ket employed for engagement by the lid to effect a tight closure; and

Fig. 4 is a detail side view showing one of the hinge arms.

Referring now to the drawing, 3 designates the outer shellrand 11 designates the inner shell of the drum, it being understood that the drawing shows, in longitudinal section, that portion of the drum which carries the closure. As described in my abovenamed pending application, the outer and inner shells of the drum constitute a steam jacket, steam passing through the space between these shells from one end of the drum to the other. The outer shell 3 is formed with an opening of such a shape as conveniently to receive a ring-like lid-support-' ing casting 160, the inner shell 11 being formed with an opening of a similar shape but smaller size, thereby providing a ledge to which the casting 160 ma be secured by means of rivets or the like. The casting 160 is formed with a peripheral flange 160*.

which is secured to the outer. shell 3 by means of screws or the like. By this means, the lid-supporting casting 160 is held in position in such a manner as to insure a steam tight connection and to maintain the spaced relation of the outer and inner shells of the drum. n I p The casting 160 carries, at one side thereof, an eye-bolt 161 carrying atrunnion 162.

.Hinged upon the trunnion 162 is a cross-bar 163, the opposite end of which is forked so as to be capable of embracing a second eye-- bolt 164, which is threaded into the casting 160 at the side of the latter opposite to that Y which carries the eye-bolt 162. A pin 165 passes through the eye-bolt 164 and the forked end of the cross-bar 163, thus securing the cross-bar in a horizontal position extending longitudinally across the casting 160. The pin 165 is capable of being removed from the eye-bolt 164, thus permitting the cross-bar 163 to be swung back, about the trunnion 162 as a hinge, when desired. The cross-bar 163 carries the hollow lid 166.

The body of the hollow lid 166 is of a frusto-conical shape, and enters, when the lid is closed, a similarly shaped opening formed through the casting 160. The lower.

part of the lid is dished downwardly in the present instance so as to provide increased steam capacity; and the lid is provided with a flange 170 extending outwardly from its periphery so as to overlap the casting 160. The-lower face of the flange 170 engages, when the lid is closed, against a gasket 171, which may be formed of lead or some other soft metal, and which is mounted 'in an annular groove formed in the upper face of the casting 160. The lower face of the flange 170 of the lid is formed with a plurality of circumferentially-extending in which it is located.

The lid is-secured to the cross-bar 163 in such a'manner as to permit of a small vertical movement of the lid with respect tothe cross-bar, thereby to effect the unsealing of the lid andthe freeing of the teeth 172 from the corresponding grooves of the gasket. To this end, the cross-bar 163 has threaded through the center'thereof a sleeve 174, the upper end of which is squared to receive a hand-wheel 175. -Passing freely through the sleeve 174 is a cap screw 176, the lower end of which is threaded into the lid 166,

the cap screw being of such a length that lts head which forms an abutment has a shght clearance above the top of the threaded sleeve 174. The diameter of the cap screw is such that. there is suflicient lateral clearance between it and the sleeve 174 to permit of tilting of the lid, as will be described below. A washer 177 may be inserted between the sleeve 174 and the head of the cap screw 176, if desired; and, when this is done, a slight clearance will be left between the top of the washer and rthe head of the cap screw. -The cross-bar 163 has formed on the lower side thereof, at the end remote from the eye-bolt 161, a small projection 17 8, so placed that there is a slight clearance between it and the top of the lid 166.

In Fig. 2, the lid 1s shown in its closed condition. When it is desired to raise the lid, the sleeve 174 is rotated, by means of the hand-wheel 175. Owing to the clear ance between the washer 177 and the abutment formed by the head of the cap screw 176, the first portion 'of the rotation of the threaded sleeve 174-has no other eflect than to relieve the lid from the pressure which was theretoforef exercised upon it by the lower end of the sleeve. As soon, however, as the Washer 177 engages the abutment formed by the head of the cap screw 176, the further rotation of the sleeve 174 will cause the lid to move vertically until it engages the small projection 178 formed on the lower side of the cross-bar 163, thereby relieving the pressure Within the drum or breaking the vacuum as the case may be. When this has occurred, the still further rotation of the threaded sleeve 174 will cause the lid to tilt slightly upward about the projection 178 as a pivot, (this tilting movement being permitted by reason of the clearance which exists between the cap screw 176 and the sleeve'174) thus disengaging the teeth 172 from the teeth in the gasket at the side adjacent the hinge to an extent sufli cient to permit of opening the closure without danger of stripping the teeth of the gasket at the hinged side of the closure. -When this has occurred, the lid strikes against the lower side of the cross-bar 163, and the threaded sleeve 174 cannot, therefore, be rotated any farther. It will be understood, of course, that all of these effects occur successively upon a single turning operation of the hand-wheel 175. When the hand-wheel 175 has been turned, with the results noted above, and the lid is therefore unsealed and its teeth freed from the groove of the gasket 101, the pin 165 is removed from the eyebolt 164, and the cross-bar 163 swung back about the trunnion 162, thus completely opening the closure to admit of insertion or removal of the contents of the drum. A bracket 182 is secured to the outer shell 3 of the drum at the rear of the closure in such a position that the forked end of the cross-bar 163 will embrace it when the crossbar is swung back in the manner above described. When the cross-bar 163 has been swung back, it may be secured by passing the pin 165:.Qthrough itand through the bracket 182. 'When it is desired to close the ,lid, the pin 165 is removed from the posito clamp the lid down upon the gasket 173. It will be understood that, when the lid has been raised in the preliminary operation of unsealing the lid, there will be a slight clearance between the bottom of the sleeve 174 and the top of the lid. The first effect, therefore, of rotating the hand-wheel. 175 in a direction to close the lid, will be to cause the lid to drop upon the gasket 171, with its teeth 17 2 engaging in the corresponding grooves of the latter. As soon as the bottom of the sleeve 174 has engaged against the top of the lid, the further rotation of the hand-wheel 175 will firmly clamp the lid in its closed and sealed condition.

The passage of steam through the lid is effected in the following manner: The lid is provided with a pair of hinge arms 167, which are formed with flanges 167 secured to the top of the lid-by means of screws or the like. Extending laterally from the rear end of each of the hinge arms is a socket 168 having a vertically elongated slot 169 therein for receiving an end of the trunnion 162. These elongated slots permit the vertical movement of the lid described above, while at the same time effecting a hinged connection between the hinge arms and the trunnion 162. Each hinge arm is formed with a longitudinal bore 179, the front end of which communicates with the interior of the hollow lid, and the rear end of which communicates with a stufiing box .180, which extends laterally from the hinge arm at the side thereof opposite to the socket 168. The stuffing boxes 180 of the hinge arms are substantially co-axial' with the trunnion 162,

so as to permit of the pivotal movement of the lid, and receive steam pipes 181, one of which is connected with the front end, and the other with the'rear end, of the steam jacket of the drum, in the manner described in my pending application above referred to. The steam pipes 181 are so disposed as to be capable of springing to a suflicient extent to permit of the slight vertical movement of the lid referredto above. I It will be seen that, by this means, steam maV be continuously passed through the hollow lid, regardless of the position of the latter with respect to its hinge, and also while the drum is in rotation.

The construction described above provides an efficient and easily operated closure which may be supplied with a heating or cooling fluid during the rotation of the drum, and which may be effectively sealed in its closed position. By effecting the unsealing of the closure by a movement of the lid independent of that of the cross-bar, I am enabled to open the lid readily under all circumstances, whether there be pressure in the drum or a .vaeuum, the arrangement being such that considerable power may readily be applied by merely turning the hand-wheel. This is of importance when, for example, the contents of the drum are being treated in a high degree of vacuum.

The interengaging teeth and grooves of the lid and the gasket provide a tight connection between the lid when sealed and the drum; but it will be seen that, if the lid were removed from the drum by an ordi- Having thus described my invention, What i I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination, a container having an opening, a member mounted on said container adjacent said-opening so as to be capable of being moved away from said opening, a lid for said opening, means for mounting said lid on said member so that said lid may be moved with or independently of the member, and means for positively tilting the lid independently of its movement with said member.

2. In combination, a container having an opening, a pivoted lid for said opening, a

gasket against which the lid seats to seal the opening, means for pressing the lid against, and releasing the lid from, the gasket independently of the pivotal movement of the lid, and means for tilting the lid when releasing-the same independently of its pivotal movement. 1

3. In combination, a container having an opening, a pivoted lid for said opening, a gasket resting upon said container adjacent said opening and adapted to be engaged by the lid when the latter is closed, the faces of said gasket being formed with portions arranged to intermesh with complementary portions on the face of said container and lid so as to effect a tight joint, means for pressing said lid against and releasing the lid from said gasket independently o f'the pivotal movement of the lid, and means for tilting the lid independently of its pivotal movement when releasing the same to clear the gasket teeth adjacentthe lid pivot.

4'. In combination, a container having an opening, a movable member extending across the opening and adapted to be swung away therefrom, a hollow lid for the opening connected to said crossbar and movable either therewith or independently thereof, and connections for supplying a fluid to and exhausting it from the lid irrespectiveof the position or movements of the lid.

5. In combination, a container having an opening therein, a cross-bar pivoted at one slde of said opening, means for releasably securing said cross-bar at the other side of said opening, a hollow lid for said opening connected with said cross-bar and pivoted coaxially with the ivot of said cross-bar and so as to be capa le of vertical movement, means ,for eflecting a vertical and tilting movement of said lid with respect to said cross-bar to effect sealing and unsealing of the lid, and means, coaxial with the pivot of the lid, for introducing steam into, and withdrawing steam from, said lid, irrespective of the various, movements of the lid.

' 6. In combination, a container having an opening therein, a cross-bar pivoted at one side of said opening, means for releasably securing said cross-bar at the other side of said opening, a hollow lid for said opening connected with said cross-bar and pivoted co-axially with the pivot of said cross-bar and so as to be capable of vertical'move ment, means for efi'ecting a vertical movement of said lid with-respect to said crossbar to effect sealing and unsealing of the lid, means on said cross-bar for engaging said lid at the part thereof remote from its pivot, when said lid is raised with respect to said cross-bar, whereby said lid is tilted about said engaging means as a pivot during such raising, and means, coaxial with the pivot of the lid, for introducin a fluid into and exhausting it from said Iid irrespective of the various movements of the lid.

' 7. In combination, a rotatable drum having an opening therein, means for rotating said drum, a cross-bar pivoted at one side of said opening, means for releasably securing Said cross-bar at the other side of said opening, a hollow lid for said opening connected with said cross-bar and pivoted co-axially with the pivot of said cross-bar and so as to be capable of vertical movement, means for effecting a vertical movement of said lid with respect to said cross-bar to efi'ect sealing and unsealing of the lid, means on said cross-bar for engaging said lid at the part thereof remote from its pivot, when said lid is raised with respect to said cross-bar, whereby said lid is tilted about said engaging means as a pivotduring such raising, and means, coaxial with the pivot of the lid, for introducing steam into, and withdrawing steam from, said lid during the rotation of said drum, irrespective of the position and movements of the lid or the rotation of the ,of circumferentially-disposed grooves in its lower face for receiving the teeth of said container, and having a plurality. of cir cumferentially-disposed grooves in its upper face, a pivoted lid adapted to be clamped down upon said gasket and having a plurality 'of circumferentially-disposed teeth adapted to enter the corresponding grooves ofsaid gasket teeth adjacent the lid pivot when thelid is swung open. 7 4

9. In combinatlon, a contalner having an opening, a lid for the opening, cooperating sealing teeth between the lid and the container, a support for the lid pivoted to the container, the lid being pivoted co-axially with the support and movable therewith, and means for tilting the lid independently of its movement with the support to disengage the cooperating teeth adjacent its pivot to prevent stripping of the teeth when the lid is swung on its pivot to open the container.

10. In combination, a container having an opening, a pivoted cross bar spanning the opening, a lid pivoted coaxially with the bar and connected thereto so as to be movable therewith, a sleeve passing through and in threaded engagement with the bar to press the lid to its seat, and a member rigid with the lid and'extendin'g through the sleeve, said member being provided with an abutment at its outer end, whereby whenthe sleeve is turned in one direction it first disengages the lid and then engages the abut- -ment to unseal the lid.

11. In combination, a container having an opening, a cross-bar pivoted at one side of said opening, means for releasably securing said cross-bar at the other side of said opening, a lid for said opening connected with sald cross-bar and pivoted substantially coaxially with the pivot of said cross-bar and so as to be capable of vertical movement, andmeans for efiecting a vertical and tilting movement of said lid independent of said cross-bar to efi'ect sealing and unsealing of the lid. P

12. In combination, a container having an opening, a cross-bar pivoted at one side of said opening, a lid for'said opening connected with said cross-bar and ivoted substantially co-axially with the pivot thereof and capable of vertical movement, means for ing and unsealing of the lid, and means on said cross-bar for engaging said lid at the part thereof remote from its pivot, when said effecting a vertical movement of said lid with respect to said cross-bar to effect seal-.

lid is raised with respect to said cross-bar,

whereby said lid is tilted about said engaging means as a pivot during such raising,

'13. In combination, a container having an opening, a lid pivoted adjacent the opening capable of being swung on such pivot away from the opening, and means for positively tilting the lid in a direction diametrically opposite to the pivotal movement of the lid.

14. In combination, a container having an opening, a pivoted lid for said opening capable of being moved on its pivot to uncover said opening, means for first moving said lid perpendicularly away from said opening, and means for subsequently tilting the lid in a direction opposite to the pivotal move-- ment of the lid.

15. In combination, a container having an opening, a cross-bar pivoted at one side of said opening, so as to be capable of being swung away from the opening, a lid for said 7 opening pivoted substantially coaxially with saidcross-bar and secured thereto and movable therewith, and means' for tilting the lid independently of said cross-bar in a direction opposite to the movement of said lid with said cross-bar.

16. In combination, a container having an opening, a trunnion adjacent the opening, a

cross-bar on the trunnion, a lid for said opening secured to the cross-bar so as to be movable therewith or independently thereof, hinge arms secured to the lid having elongated slots for receiving said trunnion, and means whereby by reason of the elongated slots the lid may be tilted away from the I opening independently of the movement of the cross-bar.

17. In combination, a container having an opening, apivoted. lid, means whereby the lid may be released from its closing position prior to opening, and means cooperating with the lid when the same is released of its pivotal movement.

18; In combination, a container having an opening, a pivoted lid, packing against which the lid seats. to seal the opening, means whereby the lid may be released from its sealing position prior to opening, and means cooperating wlth the lid when the same is released to move the lid to clear the packing, said movement being independent of the pivotal movement of the lid.

19. In combination, a container having an opening, a lid therefor, a pivoted lid carrier for moving the lid into and out of closing position and means for moving said lid with respect to said holder to free the lid from its seat, while the lid holder is secured, and means whereby moving said lid with respect to the holder will cause the lid to tilt with respect to its seat.

20. In combination, a container having an opening, a lid therefor, a pivoted lid carrier scribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. ALEXANDER P. ANDERSON. Witnesses:

MABEL REYNOLDS, CHARLES G. Corn.

for positively tilting the independently 1 

